Philadelphia 76ers: Holiday knows what he wants and he's not budging

PHILADELPHIA — There’s a number in Jrue Holiday’s head, the per-year salary he wants from the 76ers. And by the sound of things Wednesday, the two sides couldn’t agree on finding a middle ground.

“You know, honestly, I want what I want,” Holiday said, prior to the Sixers’ season opener with Denver.

Holiday, who entered his fourth season in the NBA, had until midnight to agree to a contract extension with the Sixers before things got sticky. Without getting an extension, Holiday could head into next offseason with some uncertainty as a restricted free agent.

The Sixers have the opportunity to offer him a qualifying offer of $3.8 million for the 2013-14 season. If Holiday took it, he’d be an unrestricted free agent the following season, assuming he and the team couldn’t agree on a longer deal at some point in between. If Holiday didn’t take that qualifying offer, though, other teams could float a contract Holiday’s way, and the Sixers would get a chance to match it.

That being said, Holiday thinks he’s found a home.

“I’m happy. I want to be here,” the point guard said. “If I wait until the end of the season, obviously, there are more options. I’m happy either way.

“I figure that’s something I can’t really worry about right now. It’s the first game and it’s Halloween. You never know what’ll happen. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’m still going to come out here and play my heart out.”

Holiday reportedly is seeking somewhere in the ballpark of $12 million per season, while it’s been reported the Sixers have offered $9 million. Holiday said he’d be willing to budge a tad on the number on his end, but “it wouldn’t be a lot. I think my agent (Tony Dutt) sounded really confident talking to everybody up there (in the front office).”

The Sixers, at least, have a rubric to follow based on the contract extensions signed by Holiday’s mates in the 2009 draft class. The Nuggets gave Ty Lawson, the 18th pick in the draft, four years, $48 million. Stephen Curry, the seventh pick, got four years, $44 million. Holiday, for those wondering, was the 17th selection.

“Even though Ty’s a really good player, my decision is my decision,” Holiday said. “I was happy for him. ... He deserves it.”

After the morning shootaround, Sixers coach Doug Collins said general manager Tony DiLeo had skipped the session in order to work on details with Dutt.

“I’m sure he’s going to be on the phone until the deadline to see what’s going to happen,” Collins said of DiLeo.